Category Archives: Articles / Writings

Nacusa – SCI Snapshot Starts on 5-19

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NACUSA 2016 National Conference Schedule of Events

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville

Directors Andrew Sigler and Jorge Variego

UTK Personnel

Mark Drake – chatterbird liason
Robert Clark – On-site logistics
Alex Gray – Media expert
Brandan Harden, Skye van Duuren – Stage Manager
Miriam Budayr – Program Manager
Coy Parton – Tech manager

SCI Concert One
Thursday May 19, 5:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

From the Mist for alto saxophone and tape – Brandan Harden
Brandan Harden, saxophone

Blackberry Winter – Cody Brookshire
Richard Knepp, guitar

Tubstep for tuba and electronics – Zack Grass
Zack Grass, tuba

Isolation Studies 1 and 2 for clarinet and tape – David Floyd
David Floyd, clarinet

Splitting Dimensions piano and electronics – Ben Robichaux
Ben Robichaux, piano

Guest artist presentation: Jeff Morris, Texas A&M
“Collaborating with Machines: Hybrid Performances
Allow a Different Perspective on Generative Art”
Thursday May 19, 6:30 p.m.
Location TBD

SCI Concert Two
Thursday May 19, 8:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

r.b. (2016) multimedia – Emory Hensley
Emory Hensley

Fire Birth Promenade for fixed media – Stephen Medlar

Tears of Tesla 2: Electric Boogaloo for accordion and electronics – Stewart Engart
Stewart Engart, accordion

Bedtime for voice and computer – Sarah Hemminger
Sara Hemminger, vocals

UT Electroacoustic Ensemble

SCI Concert Three
Friday, May 20, 2:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

Imbalance – Martín Gendelman

Convivium – Kevin Lyons

Reprieve – Michael Ursery

Rio Amazonas – Dalton Daniel

Above the Clouds – Cydney Gardner

Libertango – Piazzola
(arr. Dalton Daniel)

NACUSA Composer/Performer Concert One
Friday, May 20, 5:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

Euphonic Soundscape – Ken Davies
Cody Ford, euphonium
fixed media

Mnemosyne – Joseph Rebman
I. Calliope – Muse of Epic Poetry
II. Melpomene – Muse of Tragedy
III. Terpsichore – Muse of Dance
IV. Erato – Muse of Love Poetry
V. Clio – Muse of History
VI. Euterpe – Muse of Elegiac Poetry
VII. Polyhymnia – Muse of Hymns
VIII. Thalia – Muse of Comedy
IX. Urania – Muse of Astronomy

Joseph Rebman, harp
Cleo Leung, flute

Two Lost Loves – Andrew Hannon
Andrea Cheeseman, clarinet
fixed media

Convergences – Joshua Tomlinson
fixed media

Shaded Rhythms – Daniel Morel
Luis Víquez, clarinet

The Sound of Scarlet – William Price
James Zingara, trumpet

Traces – Bret Bohman
Scott Bartlett, bassoon
fixed media

NACUSA Composer/Performer Concert Two
Friday, May 20, 8:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

Metamorphosis IV – Valentin Bogdan
Valentin Bogdan and Julia Mortyakova, piano

hammers – Adam Scott Neal
Adam Scott Neal, piano

Dialog #4 – Joe Alexander
I. Moderato
II. Andante
III. Allegro
Joe Alexander, tuba
Cody Ford, euphonium

Bunyip – Tom Dempster
Paula Van Goes, saxophone
fixed media

Fantasy and Reflections on an Air – Zack Pentecost
Tom Torrisi, guitar

Cantus II – Richard Montalto
Richard Montalto, wind controller

Three Candles – John Allemeier
Mira Frisch, cello
Scott Christian, marimba

SungEun Park – Piano
Saturday, May 21, 11:00 a.m.
Choral Room

Humoresque – Rodion Shchedrin
Alquimia – Andrew Sigler
Affabile – Wieslaw Rentowski
The Garden of Eden, III. The Serpent’s Kiss – William Bolcom
Get Rich Quick – Ian Dicke

NACUSA Board Meeting
Saturday, May 21, 12:30 p.m.
Director’s Conference Room

Chatterbird Repertoire Concert
Saturday, May 21, 2:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

Magic with Everyday Objects – Missy Mazzoli

Celine Thackston, flute
Emily Bowland, clarinet
Bryan Clark, electric guitar
Patrick Atwater, bass
Alessandra Volpi, piano

Music for Sarah – John Fonville
Celine Thackston, flute

Garden of Love – Jacob TV
Paula Van Goes, saxophone
electronics

Night Shift – Bryan Clark
Celine Thackston, flute
Emily Bowland, clarinet
Maya Stone, bassoon
Bryan Clark, electric guitar
Joshua Dent, cello
Patrick Atwater, acoustic bass
Alessandra Volpi, piano
Jesse Strauss, typewriter

8-bit Divertimento – Stephen Gorbos
Maya Stone, bassoon
electronics, video projection

Latest and Greatest – Ian Dicke
Celine Thackston, flute
Maya Stone, bassoon
Chuck Callahan, violin
Alessandra Volpi, piano
Jesse Strauss, percussion
video projection

Composer Panel
Saturday, May 21, 4:30 p.m.
Powell Hall

Chatterbird Call for Scores Concert
Saturday, May 21, 8:00 p.m.
Powell Hall

Slipstream – John Mayrose
Paula Van Goes, saxophone
Bryan Clark, electric guitar
Jesse Strauss, marimba
Alessandra Volpi, piano

Icons, movement I – Roger Briggs
Celine Thackston, flute
Emily Bowland, clarinet
Maya Stone, bassoon

Bald Mountain Breakdown – Tyler Capp
Chuck Callahan, violin
Joshua Dent, cello
Alessandra Volpi, piano

Gradient – Baljinder Sekhon, II
Paula Van Goes, saxophone
Alessandra Volpi, piano

Fast Standing Still – Jeff Morris
Paula Van Goes, saxophone
Patrick Atwater, bass
fixed media

Specific Gravity – Lansing McLoskey
Celine Thackston, flute
Emily Bowland, clarinet
Paula Van Goes, saxophone
Chuck Callahan, violin
Joshua Dent, cello
Jesse Strauss, percussion
Joseph Lee, conductor

The More Things Change – Ingrid Stölzel
Emily Bowland, clarinet
Chuck Callahan, violin
Joshua Dent, cello
Alessandra Volpi, piano
Jesse Strauss, percussion
Joseph Lee, conductor

Push/Pull – Nicholas Omiccioli
Celine Thackston, flute
Emily Bowland, clarinet
Chuck Callahan, violin
Avery Bright, viola
Joshua Dent, cello
Jesse Strauss, percussion
Alessandra Volpi, piano
Joseph Lee, conductor

Nicole Chamberlain premieres “Minute flute” for solo bass flute

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To close out the SoundNOW festival, Terminus Ensemble invites you to join us for a unique program of 1-minute solo miniatures by 20 composers from the southeastern US. We are joined by Boston-based duo Transient Canvas (bass clarinet + marimba), who will be performing new works by Georgia-based composers, including Sarah Hersh, Peter Van Zandt Lane, and Brent Milam.

Transient Canvas set:
Rationalize (2016) — Cody Brookshire
ripples (2015) — Adam Scott Neal
[Title tbd] (2016) — Brent Milam
Your Mind is a Maze of Mystery (2015) — Sarah Hersh
Exergy Bubblebath (2015) — Peter Van Zandt Lane

Terminus set (order TBD) — solo miniatures by
John Allemeier, David Brighton, Russell Brown, Nicole Randall Chamberlain, Tom Dempster, Drew Dolan, John Hennecken, Olivia Kieffer, Brent Milam, James Paul Sain, Andrew Sigler, Nolan Stolz, Mitch Turner, Jorge Variego, Rachel Whelan, Natalie Williams, Ryan Williams

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Inner blues at the CMS Regional Conference in Birmingham

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Research paper presentation and piece at the CMS regional conference at Birmingham Southern College.

– Paper “Teaching with GlassCasts: Using Google Glass to Teach Music Theory”. In Collaboration with Dr. Brendan McConville.

Short abstract: Podcasts have become an effective and portable tool for introducing and drilling material in music theory courses. Though audio and video podcasts formats have been pedagogically succesful for some time, it is important to continually consider how this technology might evolve. Is it possible to make them fully immersive, first person learning experience by capturing then through wearable technology? Google Glass is a “smart” technology built into a pair of eyeglasses. It posseses several important functions, such as taking photos, video capture, and Internet capabilities. This presentation will report on the creation, implementation, and effectiveness of Glass Casts in theory courses at a music school during the spring semester 2015.

– Piece: Inner blues – for vibraphone and electronics. Emory Hensley (vibraphone)

     Inner blues (solo vibraphone) (version by Emory Hensley)

UT Contemporary Music Festival

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UT EE

(click to watch the video of the performance by the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble)

UT School of Music Hosts Contemporary Music Festival

KNOXVILLE—The School of Music at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is hosting its first contemporary music festival Oct. 22-24.

The event is a celebration of contemporary music, which includes a number of stylistic trends that have developed over the past 30 to 40 years. It will spotlight both chamber ensemble and electronic music.  

The festival will include workshops, lectures, master classes and performances by featured guest artists. All of the events all free and open to the public.

“We are honored to not only be able to host this remarkable event, but also that we have such esteemed guests joining us during the festival,” said Brendan McConville, an associate professor of music theory and composition and one of the organizers of the event.

Featured guests performing at the event include Composer-in-Residence Marc Mellits, electro-acoustical performer Joo Won Park and Terminus Ensemble, an ensemble from Atlanta that focuses on promoting new music. UT’s Contemporary Music Ensemble also will be performing.

A highlight of the festival will be a performance of “Music for 18 Musicians,” a work of musical minimalism composed by Pulitzer Prize-winning minimalist Steve Reich in the mid-1970s. UT’s Electroacoustic Ensemble also will be performing.

“Music for 18 Musicians” was performed almost exclusively by Reich’s own group, Steve Reich and Musicians, for two decades after its premiere in 1976. There was no score, and Reich had written the parts specifically for his players’ strengths. A full score of the piece was written by composer Marc Mellits and was first performed in 1997, then published in 2000.

“Reich’s ‘Music for 18 Musicians’ has become a staple of contemporary music literature. Because of its length and scope it is performed somewhat rarely, so this is a huge opportunity to experience this work live with the individual (Mellits) who worked with Reich to assemble the score,” said Andrew Sigler, a lecturer of music composition who helped organize the event.

UT Contemporary Music Ensemble Director Andrew Bliss said, “It has been a real joy leading the students through Reich’s masterwork ‘Music for 18 Musicians.’ The piece requires performing forces from the vocal, strings, woodwinds, piano and percussion areas, and it has been a wonderful collaboration for us all.”

Here is the schedule of events for the festival: 

Thursday, Oct. 22 — Marc Mellits Portrait Concert performed by the UT Contemporary Music Ensemble at 8 p.m. in the Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall in the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center. The concert will feature a variety of Mellits chamber works from the past decade.

Friday, Oct. 23 — Terminus Ensemble Concert, 12:20 p.m. in the Percussion Studio, Room 133, Natalie L. Haslam Music Center.

Friday, Oct. 23 — Joo Won Park, featuring members of the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble, 9 p.m., the Black Box Theatre in the Emporium, 100 South Gay St. Sponsored by Casa Hola.

Saturday, Oct. 24—Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians” performed by the UT Contemporary Music Ensemble, 8 p.m., James R. Cox Auditorium of Alumni Memorial Building. 

For more information, go to http://www.music.utk.edu/events/october.html. 

The Stoka ensemble rocks Sexual chocolate porter in Den Haag

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The group did an amazing presentation at Studio Loos in Den Haag offering a balanced interaction between electronic and acoustic sounds. Tomer Baruch, Theo Horsmeier, Adam Juraszek – computers, Emilio Tritto – baritone sax, Daniel Clason – trumpet, Louis Portal – drums

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Sexual chocolate porter live by the Stoka:

     Sexual chocolate porter. (version by the Stoka Ensemble – Tomer Baruch)

 

At the Harold Golen Gallery

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In collaboration with the Harold Golen Gallery, FETA Foundation presents Jorge Variego (clarinets and electronics) in a concert filled with new works by Latin American composers . The music contemplates the fine line between composition and free improvisation while engaging electronic media. The program of works by Blas Atehortúa (Colombia), Ricardo Dal Farra (Argentina-Canadá), Jorge Variego (Argentina-USA), Daniel Schachter (Argentina), Jose Miguel Candela (Chile), Miguel Noya (Venezuela) and Mirtru Escalona Mijares (Venezuela) features a balanced spectrum of electronic, acoustic and  visual components.

Roberto Oliveira premieres “Nunca tan lejos” in Galicia

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Nunca tan lejos (vibráfono, electrónica y video) – 2015 – Estreno mundial (click to watch the video)

Compuesta en SuperCollider, la electrónica intenta extender, desarrollar y muchas veces contraponer el discurso del intérprete a través de patrones que emergen y se evaporan. El material esencial de la pieza surge de una serie armónica que el vibrafonista revela gradualmente. El ordenador sigue un proceso similar, introduciendo transformaciones microtonales y procedimientos distorsivos que se acumulan, invitando a un viaje hacia un mundo de sonoridades poco familiares. La obra ofrece una serie concatenada de imitaciones imperfectas que van desde la adrenalina pura a momentos de profunda introspección.

** Este trabajo está dedicado a Roberto Oliveira

Walls in the semifinals of the American Prize

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Great News! I’ve just been selected as a semi-finalist in the Chamber Music Professional division of The American Prize national non-profit competitions in the performing arts. Here’s the link: http://theamericanprize.blogspot.com.

The American Prize will be announcing finalists in my division in several weeks. You can learn more about this prestigious national competition here: www.theamericanprize.org or follow the news on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Prize-celebrating-American-excellence-in-the-arts/214320622728 or Twitter: https://twitter.com/americanprize